The Fat Acceptance Movement began in 1967 to protest what many and more felt was an anti-fat bias. Together, we’ve taken massive strides to promote a message of tolerance and dignity for those inhabiting a bigger body.
Our movement has successfully prompted fat-friendly legislation, plus-sized inclusivity in advertising, modeling, and clothing, and is now backed by scientific study. With these accomplishments under our belt, we should be taking a victory lap, but modern Fat Acceptance is floundering — why?
Consider the state of our largest representative force, the NAAFA. While it has done an excellent job giving us a voice, it still lacks a definitive figurehead. Furthermore, we’ve failed to penetrate the mainstream consciousness (barring a few excellent outliers) with plus-sized celebrities, stars, and idols.
The entertainment world is still chock full of thin Jedi and chiseled superheroes, and there’s only so much Ashley Graham and Tess Holiday can do. How can the children understand that they’re healthy at every size without proper representation? Where’s our Caitlyn Jenner? Our Colin Kaepernick?
Enter Donald Trump, President of the United States of America.
We know, we know — just hear us out. Yes, his politics are more than divisive, but consider the media’s gross portrayal and caricature of Mr. Trump’s body. From critiquing his toupee-hair to disparaging his penchant for tucked in golf shirts, the fat-phobic media has body-shamed Donald Trump left and right and it’s frankly disgusting. And that hardly scratches the surface of their discrimination.
For instance, in mid-January of 2018 Trump received his first presidential physical exam administered by White House physician Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson. The results stated that President Trump was in excellent cognitive and physical shape, with a minor footnote addressing the President’s LDL cholesterol levels. Despite this clean bill of health, the media has vilified Trump for his dietary choices. Choices which, according to his examiner, clearly had little to no ill-effect on his health.
So, despite all our progress, this singular event proved that even the most powerful person in the world is subject to base body shaming. In light of his presence on the world stage, Donald Trump must be considered a vital, protected person of the Fat Acceptance Movement and we must do everything in our power to support him as our fellow American.
We need to take a stand and show the public at large that bigger bodies can fill the highest offices of the world and that their “fat” has nothing to do with competence or ability. President Trump, in brazenly being himself, provides a symbol for us to rally behind.
With the president as our figurehead, we will finally achieve the public recognition that we so rightfully deserve.
No matter your politics, Donald Trump is not the the Fat Acceptance figure we want but the one we need.
Authors’ Note: Matthew and Jared are both avid, if quiet followers of the Fat Acceptance Movement. We read and discuss NAAFA newsletters and keep up with fellow advocates on social media. Both have struggled with weight, body image, and acceptance issues their entire lives, but we feel that there’s a lot of work left to do to help thin people understand the true weight of their words.